Knicks vs. Sixers: What We Learned From The Ugly Battle

New York defeated Philadelphia on the road 82-79 in a game of disproportionate proportions.

Neither team shot better than 39 percent from the field, and the Knicks barely shot 15 percent from beyond the arc. The Sixers, on the other hand, managed to knock down over 47 percent of their three-point attempts, a much more efficient number than their overall field goal percentage.

The game was a hellacious roller coaster ride from start to finish. It saw New York jump out to a big lead as they held Philadelphia to just 11 first quarter points. By the third quarter though, the Sixers had retaken the lead. But only briefly.

In the end, Jeremy Lin—who was 4 of 17 from the field, but 10 for 10 from the foul line—nailed three-sets of free throws to seal the victory for the Knicks.

Despite the contest having serious playoff and divisional standing implications, neither team was at their best.

And that’s perfect.

The Sixers have struggled all year against the NBA’s deeper teams, and this game provided them with an opportunity to prove they could prevail over a talented club amidst self-inflicted struggles. For the Knicks, it was a measuring stick for how far they had come over the past week, and how far they could ultimately go.

While Philadelphia was unable to overcome a wealth of questionable shot-selections, New York managed come out top, despite playing at their worst. And by the time the final buzzer sounded—with the Sixers down three and failing to foul—it had become abundantly clear the balance of power was shifting in the Atlantic.

This isn’t the same Knicks team that got stomped on by the Sixers merely 10 days earlier. Fittingly enough, this wasn’t the same Philadelphia team that embarrassed New York on their home floor either.

The Knicks have won five straight and appear to have turned a corner, while the Sixers seem to be headed for a downward tailspin.

The same lack of urgency that has plagued New York all season long has now taken a hold of Philadelphia. Their offensive demeanor was nothing short of disinterested, and they weren’t nearly aggressive enough in protecting the low, or high, post on the other side of the ball.

New York didn’t exactly take advantage of the Sixers’ shortcomings, but not for a lack of effort. The Knicks kept running through the entire game, kept pushing the bill on offense even though shots weren’t falling, and most importantly, kept making adjustments. And that ultimately allowed them to come away with the win.

With just 19 games to go, the Sixers hold a mere three-game lead over the surging Knicks. While the Celtics lie in between them, it seems destined that the divisional title will come down to these two teams.

Considering that winning the division could be the difference between playing the Pacers and playing the Heat or Bulls in the first round of the playoffs, this game didn’t even come close to living up to the hype.

It did one better.

Sure, it was a putrid display of offense by both parties, but it gave us the chance to see who, for better or worse, wanted it more.

And, for the night at least, it was the Knicks who looked like a team that ached for a victory, this victory, above all else.